Six Simple Tips For Soothing A Sunburn

With the summer season comes the inevitable sunburn. The first thing we do when summer hits is throw on a bikini. It’s super easy to spend hours in the sun and not realize that we are getting burned until we feel the pain later that day. We all have those long summer beach days that leave us with a killer burn. When this happens you don't have to suffer in silence. There are several actions you can take to soothe your sunburn until it heals. Hopefully when the sunburn heals it will turn into a rocking tan. Here are six simple tips for soothing a sunburn:

Aspirin

One of the simplest ways to soothe a sunburn is to take a dose of aspirin. We all have a stash of aspirin in our medicine cabinets. When you have a sunburn your skin has become inflamed. Aspirin can treat the inflammation and take away the pain until the sunburn fully heals. For aspirin to work in this instance, you must take it as soon as you realize you have a sunburn.

Cortisone Cream

Cortisone cream is another easy way to soothe a sunburn. However, you will need to obtain a cortisone prescription from your doctor in order to be able to use this method. It must be used no later than six hours after the burn first develops. Keep in mind that there are some parts of your body where cortisone cream cannot be used.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera gel is also effective in soothing a sunburn. Just like aspirin, it will treat the inflammation of your skin. When purchasing Aloe Vera gel it is important to ensure that you don't choose one that contains Lidocaine or other similar ingredients. Lidocaine can worsen a sunburn rather than treating it. You can be allergic to Lidocaine which would cause you to suffer an allergic reaction that will do even more damage to your skin than the sunburn.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are a great tool for easing the pain of a sunburn. Slicing cold cucumbers can be beneficial when treating sunburn because you can blend the slices together to create a paste that will cool down your skin as well as treat the inflammation. When using a paste or gel that is cool to the touch you will be helping yourself to recover from your sunburn faster. The reason for this is that it restricts the capillaries in your skin, which stops the pain. No wonder cucumbers are commonly used for skin relaxation.

Ice

Ice can also be used to cure a sunburn. However, do not make the mistake of placing the ice directly onto your skin. The best method is to fill an ice pack, put a thin towel over the burn and place the ice pack on top of the towel. Gently cooling off your skin using the ice is a safe and common way to treat a sunburn. There’s no doubt that ice will cool your burning skin down.

Cold Showers

Though most people take a hot shower everyday, this is something that should be avoided when you have a sunburn. While the coldness of ice helps soothe a burn, hot water can make it worse. The inflammation is increased when the hot water opens up the capillaries in the skin. The best course of action when nursing a sunburn is to limit yourself to baths and showers using cool water. The cool water will make your skin feel better in no time.

These simple tips will go a long way in helping you soothe any sunburn. Many people try several of these options for healing sunburns before they find the one that best suits them. Go ahead and try them all, these methods are fast-acting so you can get back in the sun in no time